Grabbing meals, drinks, and engaging in sports without proper care can wreck the health of your pearly whites. There are many habits that can potentially damage your teeth. Some of them are a lot more common than we think.
1. Food & Drinks Intake
Increased consumption of citrus fruits, fizzy drinks, sports drinks, and alcohol can severely damage teeth over a period. These damaging foods and drinks can cause acid erosion which is characterized by thinning and destruction of the tooth enamel.
This can lead to an increase in sensitivity and pain symptoms as well as increased susceptibility to decay. The condition is non-reversible.
2. Overzealous brushing
Heavy brushing over a long period of time with a hard or medium bristled toothbrush contributes to recession of the gums. It can wear the surface of the roots of the teeth themselves. These can lead to severe symptoms of pain and sensitivity. It is necessary to restore these teeth with a filling material to reduce the symptoms & effects of abrasion.
3. Teeth grinding
Tooth grinding is common and doesn’t discriminate according to age. Children are just as likely to grind their teeth as adults, but as adults, stress is often an influencing factor.
Unfortunately, many patients who suffer from this condition are unaware of it and don’t realize they grind or clench as they are usually doing it subconsciously or in their sleep until they are informed by a clinician that there are signs of this in their mouth.
In severe cases of tooth grinding, patients can crack their teeth, fracture existing restorations and wear down the surfaces of the teeth.
4. Chewing Ice
Ice is water, water is natural, and water is good for you. Chewing on ice may seem like a harmless activity. It does not have any sugar or calories. However, chewing on ice often include cracked and chipped teeth, damage to tooth enamel, problems with existing dental work such as fillings and crowns, and sore jaw muscles.
You may also find your teeth become extremely sensitive to hot and cold drinks and foods, and are more prone to cavities.
5. Smoking
Smoking has a well-known adverse effect on general health. Smoking is directly linked to the progression of gum disease. If left untreated gum disease progresses to a form of the disease known as advanced periodontitis. This is characterized by significant bone loss and the loosening of the teeth. Nicotine also yellows teeth and can lead to oral cancer.
Therefore, if you engage in one of the above bad habits for your teeth, you are probably engaging in several. This compounds the problem. While one occasional bad habit might not hurt your teeth, several together can combine to create real trouble. Make sure that you get a dental check-up every six months to ensure you keep smiling.
